Tag Archives: traveling with dog

Post navigation

Awhile ago I wrote this post about traveling in the car with our dog, Finley. I wanted to post an update on this dog booster seat I purchased from Amazon, as it was money well spent! Car rides are so much more relaxing and peaceful now that Finley has his own seat to sit in. I can tell he feels more comfortable and secure which helps keep him calm. The fact that he can see out of the window is great too. I highly recommend a car seat for your dog.

When shopping for a car seat for dogs here are a few things to consider:

Construction – what is the seat made out of, is it stable enough

Wash-ability – is it spot clean only, can you wash the cover and/or base

Size/Location – where will you primarily be placing the seat – the back seat, the front seat or the center console

Price – how much are you willing to spend on a car dog seat, what are the features you want most in this price range

Types of Car Seats for Dogs

Booster Seat

Car Booster Seat

There are many different kinds of dog car seats out there on the market. One style is a booster seat that has a base made out of foam or a similar material and sits in the seat of your car. A seat belt holds it in place and a strap hooks to the seat belt and then clips on to the dog’s harness.

*Although this style was more expensive than some of the others, I wound up buying this one because I wanted something that was stable and big enough for my dog to lay down in.*

Bucket Style Car Seat

Bucket Seat

Another kind of dog car seat is the bucket style. This type of seat straps around the back of the car’s seat and is suspended. This style can be used on the front passenger seat or a vehicle that is equipped with bucket style seats in the back.

*I really like how these can be adjust to the right level so your dog can see out the window, but I was afraid Finley would be too heavy and the seat wouldn’t stay in place or be stable enough for him to feel comfortable.*

Console Seat

Console Pet Car Seat

A console is yet another type of car seat for dogs. It fits the space between two seats and sits on top of the middle console. Most cars don’t have a very big console so unless you have a pretty small dog or you have a truck or SUV that has a big console this option may not work for you.

*I considered this one as well, but Finley is a pretty big Pomeranian at 14lbs and I have a car with an average size console so I didn’t think he would fit as comfortably in this type of seat. *

It’s a good idea to take measurements of the space in your car where you plan on using the seat and compare this with the type of car seat you are looking to purchase. Also, many of the car seats for dogs are available in different sizes and weight constraints so take this into consideration before making your final purchase.

The clip it comes with is not strong enough and can come undone (This is easily replaced)

The foam base is a real pain to clean (I learned this the hard way after my dog peed in his seat. The cover itself is machine washable but the urine seeped through into the foam so I had to clean it with soap and water in the bathtub and let it dry out for days in the backyard. I highly recommend getting a plastic lining or putting down a plastic garbage bag under the cover to serve as a barrier – just in case)

Lately we’ve been traveling a lot in the car and of course bringing our dog Finley along. He is a very active dog (active may be an understatement!) and in the car he’s usually on my lap with ants in his fur pants. He just can’t seem to sit still and he always wants to see out the window so he won’t miss anything. On long trips he will eventually lay down but I know being on my lap for more than a few hours is not very comfortable for him or me.

I finally broke down and ordered a dog booster car seat! I cannot wait to try it out on our next trip! Not only does it allow him to see out the window, but he will be strapped in which will make him much safer riding in the car. There is even a little drawer in the bottom of the seat for storing things like toys and treats. I will do another post and let you know how it goes!